BLOCK 2 REFLECTION (EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE)

EXPERIENCE

I will evaluate my experiences on Block 2 of Health Systems Sciences 3 using Gibb's Reflective Cycle (The University of Edinburgh, 2020).

At the start of block 2, I was enthusiastic and less anxious about academics, but on the other hand, things were a little tense with my research group members and me because, at the end of block 1, we had a member who did not want to participate any longer and his detachment from the group was going to cost us more marks as we still have more than three tasks to complete together. As a result, we were forced to request a meeting with the course coordinator to help us resolve this issue.

Dealing with this problem made me feel frustrated, angry, irritated, and defeated all at once since I had assumed that I would be on top of my duties, stay balanced and focused and that it would be a peaceful block. After the discussion with the course coordinator, I was fairly pleased with my assumption that everything would return to normal. I became extremely irritated when we realised that things had just recently started to worsen. Although I was certain that the meeting would address the problem, things did not turn out as I had hoped. Given that a few members of the group tried to identify the individual's problem, I eventually felt guilty for not trying it. This really benefited the team since I was able to identify the underlying source of all the problems. Looking back, I am happy that I was able to handle the issue using my problem-solving abilities.

The positive thing that worked well for us was that each group member sought to resolve the issue using the conflict resolution techniques that were given to us in HSS 2 last year to reduce the tension, have a functional team, and keep track of the amount of work on the other site. The course coordinator now had a light and a roadmap on how to assist us thanks to the fact that I was able to identify the core of the problem. We were never given an opportunity to consider it, which was quite a mistake, and we were also part of the problem.

This block had a negative aspect because there were so many things going on that I felt like I couldn't breathe. My attitude towards my academics changed drastically because of how they made me feel. My fears got in the way, and I let them in, and I hate that.

Our group was functioning well because the work was distributed fairly, and we used to lend a hand to one another when necessary. This is what we did throughout HSS2, and because it worked for us, we kept doing it. We all believed that this strategy would be successful in HSS3 without realising the heavy burden that this course can have on your body. We were ignorant enough to recognise the problem right away. I looked through numerous books on managing workloads and dealing with group members, and I came across an article from Asana (2019) that stressed the need of checking in on everyone and adjusting workloads as necessary before the deadline for submission. Since it is the only way to help me manage my workload, I have chosen to improve my goal-setting abilities.

I discovered that a group's operation requires monitoring and assessment because when members get too at ease, the group's performance suffers and unneeded conflict results. Planning and having a system for how to complete the activity will help me manage my workload and reduce stress.

When I look back, I could have used my time more effectively. I could have gotten started on the task whenever I needed to, just like in block 1. It is possible that I set attainable objectives. Over the course of blocks one and two, I learned how to define my weekly goals in a clear and specific way. As a result of Block 2, I learned to schedule a maximum of three activities per day. In life, I have found that it is not what you do or what others say that matters most, but how you react to it. This had been on my mind for an exceptionally long time, but I never put it into practice.

This event confirmed what I already knew—that I will constantly be learning and developing. I did not react to several circumstances the way I would in high school, which demonstrated my maturity. In the future, I intend to make clear, doable daily goals. To maintain my academic and personal growth, I wish to resist the desire to return contempt with more disrespect.

KNOWLEDGE

As we move from block 1 to block 2, we shifted our knowledge from learning about communicable diseases to learning about non-communicable diseases in South Africa. When learning about these diseases, emphasis was placed on subjects like disease management, and obstacles to disease management and control. I compared them globally and locally, analysing what causes them to occur at different rates and how deadly they are. Cancer was my number one disease of interest. I feel like cancer is the deadliest when it comes to non-communicable diseases. I found the diseases contributing to major death in South Africa. During week 10 I came to find out that the HPV vaccines could potentially cause cancer, however, in session three we had a debate about that, and I found out that HPV vaccine does not cause cancer, but it does have some effect on an individual. My presentation group and I we did a presentation promoting HPV vaccines in the hospital/clinic waiting rooms (Presentation 2).

Mental illness is the second largest non-communicable disease burden. We first learned about carer load in week eleven.

In South Africa, especially in low-income communities, caregiving is a heavy responsibility, and the community and family are the first lines of defence against mental illness.

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